Lorraine Ann (Kautza) Gruber, 100, Wausau, passed away peacefully on Sunday, September 11, 2022 at Wausau Manor.

A memorial service will be held at 1:00 pm on Wednesday, September 14, 2022 at the Rembs Funeral Home in Marshfield with Father Keith Kitzhaber officiating. Entombment will follow at Gate of Heaven Cemetery.

Lorraine was born on September 9, 1922 in Marshfield Wisconsin to Michael & Margaret (Zelm) Kautza. She was the middle child of five and grew up on the family farm on County Trunk H near Hewitt. She attended Sacred Heart School in Marshfield through the eighth grade. In 1939 she moved to Milwaukee at the age of 17 hoping to start a career. She worked her way through beauty school as a factory worker during the war, spending two years at Chrysler.

On June 21, 1941 She married Arnold Gruber in Milwaukee. Together they raised nine children. They had owned and operated a variety of business ventures in the Milwaukee area including a beer depot, barbershop, and grocery store. In June of 1964 Lorraine and Arnold moved to Portage where they ran the Riverside Bar & Motel until Arnold's retirement in 1975 when they moved to Phoenix, AZ. Following her husband's death in 1983, Lorraine spent the next 20 years as a self employed housekeeper in the Phoenix area cleaning homes for her wealthy clients. In 2005 she returned to Marshfield.

She would tell you the greatest highlight of her life was "Raising a Family". Although she also enjoyed watching baseball and football, embroidery, and taking walks.

She is survived by her children: Margaret Hills of Wausau, Nancy Gruber of Tuscon, AZ, Carol Hammond of Stoughton, Patricia Gruber of Chattanooga, TN, Steven Gruber of Wisconsin Dells, Roxanne (Ron) Sheets of Coralitos, CA, John Gruber of Friendship, and Richard Gruber of New Mexico. She is further survived by 11 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, 4 great-great grandchildren, and her sister Dorothy Behling of North Carolina.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Arnold in 1983, a son Brian in 1999, and siblings Mildred Manlick, Lucille Garvens, and Arthur Kautza.

Condolences may be sent online to www.rembsfh.com